Posts Tagged ‘Jordan’

Jordan has vowed a “strong, earth shaking and decisive” response to a video of the execution of a Jordanian pilot by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group.

The January 3rd murder of 26-year-old pilot, Muath al-Kasaesbeh, was announced Tuesday by the group.

The news came while Jordan’s King Abdullah II was in Washington DC for a state visit at the White House with Pres. Barack Obama. Abdullah II immediately cut short his visit to fly back to Amman to deal with the issue.

In response, Jordan’s military vowed its revenge would be as brutal as the execution of its much-loved pilot. Al-Kasaesbeh came from a well-known family in a large Bedouin tribe that forms the backbone of support for the Hashemite monarchy.

The Hashemite monarch addressed Jordanians on national television via a video hookup from Washington, calling the murder an act of “cowardly terror” by a deviant group bearing no connection to Islam. He asked all Jordanians to unite.

“The sentence of death pending on … Iraqi Sajida al-Rishawi will be carried out at dawn,” said an unnamed security official, speaking to the AFP news agency.

“While the military forces mourn the martyr, they emphasize his blood will not be shed in vain,” said military spokesman Mamdou al-Ameri in a statement read on Jordanian state television.

Thousands of Jordanians gathered in the pilot’s hometown of Karak, burning tires and blocking roads to demand justice and express their outrage at his death and the means used to kill him.

Jordanian King Abdullah II has cut short a state visit to the United States and flown back to Amman in response to the release of a video showing the execution by ISIS of a captive Jordanian pilot by burning him to death.

“His Majesty the King, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has cut short his visit to the United States after the news of the martyrdom of the hero pilot,” state-run television announced Tuesday evening.

The video by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) ran for 20 minutes and was an elaborate production that culminated in 26-year-old Muath al-Kasaesbeh being placed in a metal cage.

Gasoline was poured in a trail leading up to and into the cage, and set alight. In moments, Kasaesbeh’s body became a living torch.

The government of Jordan has issued a statement confirming that a video uploaded by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) shows the execution of captive Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh, held hostage by the group since December 2014.

The 26-year-old pilot was burned to death in a metal cage by the group on January 3 — five weeks ago. He is seen in the video wearing the typical orange jumpsuit of the ISIS prisoners and a trail of gasoline is poured in a trail leading up to the cage, and then set alight. The video is entitled “Healing the Believers’ Chests.”

The date of the execution explains why the group was unable to provide the Jordanian government with any signs of life from the pilot in negotiations for a prisoner swap. It also explains why he was not seen in the execution videos involving the two Japanese captives, both of whom are now dead. A video of the second beheading was posted to the Internet just three days ago.

“This is just one more indication of the viciousness and barbarity of this organization, U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement within the hour after news of the murder was announced, “should the authenticity be confirmed.”

Jordan had warned yesterday (Monday, Feb. 2) that if the ‘hero’ Kasaesbeh came to any harm, Amman would “quickly judge and sentence” all those being held on suspicion of membership in ISIS. Last week Jordan also vowed to “fast-track” the execution of the Iraqi Al Qaeda suicide bomber being held on death row that was to be swapped for the pilot, if he was killed.

Bedouin Wrath

King Abdullah’s father, the late King Hussein, declared military rule and slaughtered more than 7,000 Palestinians on September 16, 1970, in response to an attempt by Palestinian Arab fedayeen to seize his kingdom. Thousands of other Palestinians were expelled as well.

The Hashemite monarch is the oldest son of King Hussein, who was said to be a direct descendant of the founder of Islam, the 6th century prophet Muhammad. The family is Bedouin, as is the rest of the extended royal family and those who support the monarchy in Jordan.

In Bedouin culture, those who create an enemy in a blood feud, as has ISIS with Jordan, create an enemy “unto the seventh generation.” The concept of “an eye for an eye” applies, sometimes with added murders for good measure. Such feuds between individuals and extended families or other parties can continue for decades.

It is the practice of the local Council of Sheikhs to attempt to work out a “sulhah” — a peace deal — between the parties involved, in order to avoid excess and ongoing bloodshed between communities. In this case, however, such a tradition is not relevant.

It remains to be seen whether Abdullah II has the courage of his father and the fortitude to carry out the threat he has made.

Kasazbeh’s warplane was allegedly shot down over Raqqa, Syria. Photos of the pilot being dragged half-naked from a lake were flashed around the Internet by ISIS at the time. Other sources also later reported the pilot’s jet crashed in northeastern Syria during a U.S.-led coalition bombing mission against ISIS.

The terror group demanded that Jordan free female Iraqi Al Qaeda suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi, who is imprisoned in Jordan on death row for her involvement in a suicide bombing attack that killed 60 people in 2005. Her own explosives vest failed to detonate, and she was captured.

Jordan last week agreed in negotiations with the terrorist group to swap Rishawi for Kasaesbeh, but insisted the group provide proof the pilot was still alive. When Japanese journalist Kenji Goto was murdered last Friday, the execution video did not show the Jordanian pilot as the customary “next victim,” leading the Jordanians to question whether Kasaesbeh was still alive.

Nevertheless, the Hashemite Kingdom said Sunday, “We are still ready to hand over the convict Sajida al-Rishawi in return for the return of our son and our hero,” Reuters reported, despite the beheadings of both Japanese hostages with whom the pilot had allegedly been held. There were also ongoing protests in Karak, the hometown of the pilot, who was from an important Jordanian tribe that forms the main pillar of support for the Hashemite monarch.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called King Abdullah II over the weekend to thank him for his efforts in trying to secure the release of the Japanese hostage, “who was killed in cold blood and without any justification,” a palace statement revealed.

Jordan has returned its ambassador to Israel three months after recalling him to Amman because of Jewish activists on the Temple Mount, which promoted daily violence by Arabs.

International media tried to explain that a spree of grisly Arab terrorist attacks on Jews was a result of Muslim anger over Jews on the Temple Mount.

Mohammad al-Momani, the Jordanian government spokesman, told The New York Times that there has been a “significant improvement” in coordination with Israel for Muslims to pray at the Al Aqsa mosque on Fridays, the Muslim Sabbath, and with Muslim clerics for tourists and Jews to visit the holy site.

“We felt the message was heard loud and clear, and it is time for the ambassador to go back and to continue following Jordanian interests,” Momani told the newspaper.

The envoy, Walid Obeidat, arrived in Tel Aviv Monday night.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stated, “This is an important step that reflects the shared interests of Israel and Jordan and first among them, stability, security and peace.”

Daily violence on the Temple Mount three months ago was only the climax of years of anti-Israeli incitement at mosques and in media in the Arab world, including the Palestinian Authority.

Constant reports that Jewish civilians and soldiers “stormed” the Temple Mount, plotting to destroy the Al Aqsa mosque and build the Third Temple were destined to cause a volcanic eruption.

It burst approximately three months ago with Muslims rioting on a daily basis and making it virtually impossible for Jews to visit the Temple Mount, which police often closed off to Jews.

Attempts by Jews to pray at the holy site, forbidden by Muslim authorities, and visits by Knesset Members infuriated Muslims.

U.S. Secretary of State, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Jordan’s King Abdullah met in Amman in an unannounced meeting, which paved the way for a return to calm on the Temple Mount.

All of a sudden, two Cabinet ministers announced that Knesset Members should not visit the Temple Mount.

At the same time, Arab media stopped telling readers that Jews are “invading” the Temple Mount and digging tunnels to undermine the Al Aqsa mosque

Nothing was put in writing in Jordan, but it can be assumed that Netanyahu promised that Jews will not pray there.

As previously reported here and here, the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty specifically provides for mutual respect for worship at the holy site.

As with most treaties between Israel and the Arab world, they simply are the basis for future arguments.

Jordan caved to the hostage threat by Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) Wednesday, agreeing to swap a convicted terrorist for its pilot, held captive by ISIS.

A second hostage being held with the Jordanian, Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, is still in captivity. There is no word on his status.

The deal came just minutes before the deadline was reached to execute Muaz al-Kasazbeh. “Jordan confirms that it is completely prepared to release the prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi if Muaz al-Kasazbeh is released intact,” read a statement from Amman, The New York Times reported early Wednesday.

Rishawi helped murder 60 people in an attack on three hotels in Amman with three other suicide bombers. Her explosives vest failed to detonate, however, allowing her to be captured and sentenced to death for the slaughter.

The deal was arranged in response to a massive demonstration against the Jordanian government that began Tuesday evening and continued into Wednesday morning. The pilot’s father also pleaded with King Abdullah II of Jordan to swap the terrorist for his son. “Who is Sajida to us? Sajida is a burden on us, let them release her,” he said during the demonstration.

Two hostages – one each from Japan and Jordan – may die soon if their respective governments don’t pay a handsome sum to ransom them.

A new video uploaded by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist organization appearing to show Japanese freelance journalist Kenji Goto and a Jordanian pilot held with him, proclaims the two will die in 24 hours unless Jordan frees terrorist Sajida al-Rishawi from death row.

Jordanian pilot Muath al-Kasaesbeh was captured after his jet crashed in northeastern Syria this past December (2014) during a bombing mission against ISIS.

Goto’s friend, 42 year old Haruna Yukawa was beheaded last week after a previous 72-hour ransom deadline expired. ISIS had demanded $200 million in exchange for that hostage.

In the new clip, the man speaking states, “She (Rishawi) has been a prisoner for a decade and I’ve only been a prisoner for a few months. Her for me, a straight exchange.”

Rishawi, an Iraqi, has been on death row for years in Jordan for her involvement in a suicide bombing that took the lives of 60 people in 2005.

Japanese government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga was quoted by The Guardian as saying Tuesday in response, “In this extremely tough situation, we are continuing as before to request the cooperation of the Jordanian government to work toward the immediate release of Mr. Goto.”

The Kyodo news agency quoted unnamed officials who said Jordan has been in contact with ISIS through a third party about negotiating a deal for the release of the two hostages. Jordan’s King Abdullah II, however, was quoted as telling a Jordanian newspaper that the case of the Jordanian pilot “tops the country’s priorities.”

The United States meanwhile is adamantly opposed to any prisoner swaps with ISIS, let alone the payment of ransoms to that or any other terror organization.